The Labor enquirer., 1887-08-13
HoovER's SHOOTING.
How the Aristocrats Would
Like to Treat Us
All.
The X. or L. Organizer Who Was Shot
by the South Carolina
NabObs.

CiQent IN SOutn OdTOllild ID 'Siy
much deprecated by the thinking
element of the white race in the
state. That the negro farm labor
erers are not fairly treated in
South Carolina is true as a gener-
al thing. In many localities the
negroes are farming for them
selves and are thriving, but in ma
nv other localities the negro has,
in the vernacular of the cotton
field, "a long row to hoe" Ever
since the whites have had control
of the state government (IS7o)
the whole policy of state legisla-
ton has been in favor of the land
lord and against the tenant and
the laborer. The state is essent-
tally an agricultural community,
and the agricultural element has
a voting majority in the general
g assembly. A large minority of
the people are more liberal in
their views and ways of thinking,
but the "up country" or agricul-
tural element generally shapes leg
islation.
Previous to 1885 there was on
the statute books what is known
as lien law which enabled a
land owner or renter to secure
advances from factor or mer-
chant by giving first lien on his
crop. In 1885 the agricultural ell
ement secured the abrogation of
the law by passing what is known
as the priority lien law. The law
gives to the landlord a first lien
for rent and supplies. and virtually
places the tenant and the laborer
completely in the power of the
landlord and employer. But this
is not all. There is a law on the
statute books which makes it a
criminal offence for a laborer TO
break his contract. In other
words if negro is under contract
to work for A for one year, and
for some reason leaves AS en-
ployment he can be arrested and
imprisoned. There is however no
law directing the Imprisonment of
A in the event of his violation of
part of the contract. 1t is true
that great many negroes rent
land, paying the rent in products
Of the land, and a great many
others work on shares of the crop,
but these men are absolutely at
the mercy of the landlords. Prior
to the passage of the priority
lien" poor man could rent land
and work his farm on advances
made by a factor or merchant.
But that lien has been abrogated,
and the factor or merchant will
not make advances now, simply
because the landlord has a prior
lien, not only for rent. but sup
plies. provisions, etc, from the
landlord. Human nature is pret-
ty much the same in South Caro-
lima as il is in Massachusetts, or
Connecticut, The temptation to
get rich quick is hard to resist;
hence it frequently occurs that
when the renter or laborer has
made the crop and turned it over
to the landlord or emp!orer, he
finds himself further in debt than
he was before he planted the Crop.
1T is no excuse" the same
writer very properly remarks, ito
say that the negro is maturity inn
providcnt and a spendthrift. I'm
der the laws as they exist here,
and with the power in the hands
of the South Carolina landlord
the most provident and saving OF
farmers could not thrive. unless
as is the case in many instances
his landlord is honest and intelli.
gent or he owns his land"
a labor paper pertinently com
ments: Knight of Labor organ
izer Hoover was shot like a dog BY
the best citizens of South Caro-,
lima" because he was organizing